Myanmar crisis deepens as calls for armed revolt grow

MYANMAR’S security crisis deepened yesterday after its shadow government, allied with ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi, called for an armed revolt against the ruling military junta, sparking an escalation of fighting in parts of the country.

The declaration sets the stage for a further unraveling in the crisis-hit Southeast Asian country, where the military has violently cracked down on protesters since it seized power in February. More than 1 000 have been killed by security forces, and dozens of soldiers have lost their lives in retaliatory attacks that have increased in frequency and intensity.

“Today... we launched a people’s defensive war against the military junta,” said Duwa Lashi La, acting president of the National Unity Government (NUG), in a video address posted to Facebook. He called on citizens to revolt against military rule “in every corner of the country.”

The NUG claims to be Myanmar’s rightful government and has wide support in the country of 54 million. It consists largely of former lawmakers and others affiliated with Suu Kyi and her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), who were ousted in the military coup.

Duwa Lashi La said his group was also calling on those working with the government, including civil servants, to abandon their posts and join the resistance. He ordered militias aligned with the shadow government to target the junta and its assets. The NUG’s defense ministry also released a code of ethics for fighters, which included orders not to torture or sexually assault enemy troops.

The shadow government’s intervention was largely celebrated by activists and civilians across Myanmar, who labeled it “D-Day” against the military regime.

Within hours, student unions, militias and other armed groups signed on to the NUG’s declaration, offering themselves as front-line fighters.

Local media reported that junta forces clashed with armed ethnic groups in parts of the country, adding to fighting near the borders with Thailand and China. The declaration also appeared to reignite protests.